Verschoyle, Barbara
Verschoyle, Barbara (1750/53–1837), land agent and philanthropist, was born in Dublin, the sixth of eight daughters of Bryan Fagan (d. 1761), land agent for the Fitzwilliam estate in Dublin and brewer, and Elizabeth Fagan (d. 1788), both of Dublin. Bryan Fagan's brewery was on…...
Waddell, Samuel John (‘Rutherford Mayne’)
Waddell, Samuel John (‘Rutherford Mayne’) (1878–1967), playwright, actor, and civil servant, was born 15 July 1878 in Tokyo, Japan, the fourth child (and fourth son) among eight sons and two daughters of the Revd Hugh Waddell (1840–1901), a presbyterian missionary born in Glenarm, Co.…...
Waldron, Laurence Ambrose
Waldron, Laurence Ambrose (1858–1923), stockbroker, patron of the arts, and MP, was born on 14 November 1858 at Ballybrack, Co. Dublin, fourth son of Laurence Waldron (1811–75), JP, DL, and MP for Co.…...
Wall, Mervyn Eugene Welply
Wall, Mervyn Eugene Welply (1908–97), novelist, playwright, broadcaster, and civil servant, was born 23 August 1908 at 27 Palmerston Rd, Dublin, the third eldest of three sons and one daughter of Thomas Patrick Wall, barrister, and Beatrice Agnes Wall (née Morrissey), both of Co.…...
Wall, Seán
Wall, Seán (1882–1921), revolutionary, was born 1 February 1882 near Bruff, Co. Limerick, one of at least three sons of Thomas Wall, small farmer, and Deborah Wall (née Lynch). The family had a tradition of Fenian sympathy and activity. He attended Bruff national school, but his…...
Walsh (Breathnach), Róisín
Walsh (Breathnach), Róisín (1889–1949), librarian and republican, was born on 24 March 1889 into a staunchly nationalist catholic family in the townland of Lisnamaghery, Clogher, Co. Tyone, the eldest of eight children (five sisters and two brothers) of James Walsh (d. 1925), a national…...
Walsh, John
Walsh, John (1835–81), poet and schoolmaster, was born 1 April 1835 at Belville Park, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford, son of William Walsh, steward of Mr Poer of Belville Park; nothing is known of his mother. He was educated at Cappoquin national school and worked there as a monitor and…...
Walsh, Louis Joseph
Walsh, Louis Joseph (1880–1942), author and district justice, was born in Maghera, Co. Londonderry, son of Louie Walsh, owner of a local hotel, and Elizabeth Walsh (née Donnelly) of Maghera. Educated at St Columb's College, Derry, he went to Dublin to study law at…...
Walsh, Peter
Walsh, Peter (c.1616–1688), Franciscan author, was born at Mooretown, Co. Kildare. His father, whose first name is not known, was a chandler at Naas, Co. Kildare, and a member of a local Old English family; his mother, named as ‘Goodie N.’ in one source, was an English…...
Walsh, Sir John
Walsh, Sir John (c.1613–c.1670), lawyer and politician, was eldest son of David Walsh of Rathronan, Co. Tipperary; nothing is known about his mother. A leading merchant in Waterford city, John also held lands in Tipperary and Kilkenny from…...
Walsh, Sr Patricia
Walsh, Sr Patricia (1942–2015), missionary nurse, was born Anna Maria Catherine Walsh on 23 September 1942 in Portlick, Glasson, Co. Westmeath, the eldest of three girls and a boy, to Michael Walsh, a fisherman, and his wife Bridget (née Nolan). Having attended Glasson primary school (…...
Walsh, Thomas
Walsh, Thomas (1901–56), politician and farmer, was born 8 December 1901 in Garryduff, Gowran, Co. Kilkenny, one of two sons and one daughter of James Walsh, farmer, and Catherine Walsh (née Byrne). After early education at Patrician Brothers' College, Mountrath, Queen's Co. (…...
Ward, Francis Constantine (‘F. C.’, ‘Con’)
Ward, Francis Constantine (‘F. C.’, ‘Con’) (1891–1966), medical doctor and politician, was born 12 February 1891 in Corlygorm, Donaghmoyne, Co. Monaghan, son of Patrick Ward, farmer, and Elizabeth Ward (née Ruddin). He was educated at the Patrician Brothers' schools, Carrickmacross.…...
Warren, Richard Augustus
Warren, Richard Augustus (1705–75), Jacobite and French army officer, was born at Corduff near Castleknock, Co. Dublin, son of John Warren and Mary Warren (née Jones). Two of his brothers became officers in the Irish brigade in the service of France, while a third became a…...
Warren, Sir Peter
Warren, Sir Peter (1703–52), admiral in the British navy, was born 10 March 1703 at Warrenstown, Co. Meath, third son among three sons and two daughters of Michael Warren, Roman catholic landowner, and Catherine Warren (née Aylmer). Educated locally, he entered the Royal Navy in…...
Wheatley, John
Wheatley, John (1869–1930), socialist and publisher, was born 19 May 1869 at Bunmahon, Co. Waterford, eldest among three sons and seven daughters of Thomas Wheately, copper miner of Welsh extraction, and Johanna Wheately (née Ryan); it is not known when he came to use the spelling…...
White, (Herbert) Terence de Vere
White, (Herbert) Terence de Vere (1912–94), solicitor and writer, was born 29 April 1912 in Dublin, where his family lived at 61 Marlborough Road, Donnybrook. His father, Frederick Sutton Darley de Vere White, LLD, was then a junior solicitor…...
White, James
White, James (1928–99), science fiction author, was born 7 April 1928 at Belfast. His parents moved to Canada in 1930 but returned to Belfast in 1935. White was educated at St John's primary school (1935–41) and in 1941 won a scholarship to St Joseph's Technical High School, which…...
White, Rowland
White, Rowland (d. 1572), Anglo-Irish reformer, was the son of Baron White of the Dufferin in north-east Ulster, which the family was forced to abandon when it came under attack from the Scots and the local Gaelic chieftains early in the sixteenth century. Nothing is known of…...
Whitmore, William James Brennan-
Whitmore, William James Brennan- (1886–1977), revolutionary and journalist, was born 21 October 1886 at the family home in Mary St., Wexford, son of Thomas Whitmore, People journalist and printer, and Mary Whitmore (née Brennan) from Ferns, Co. Wexford. Both parents died…...
Williams, Richard D'Alton
Williams, Richard D'Alton (1822–62), poet, medical doctor, and nationalist, was born 8 October 1822 in Dublin, the illegitimate son of Alexandre Count D'Alton (1766–1859), an officer in the French army and land proprietor in Co. Tipperary, and Mary Williams, the daughter of a…...
Williams, Thomas (‘Tom’)
Williams, Thomas (‘Tom’) (1923–42), republican, was born 12 May 1923 in the Beechmount area of the Falls Road, Belfast, third of four children of Thomas Williams, labourer, and his wife Mary (née Fay). The family had lived in a catholic enclave on the Shore Road in north Belfast, but…...
Wilson, John Patrick
Wilson, John Patrick (1923–2007), government minister and Gaelic footballer, was born on 8 July 1923 at Callanagh, Kilcogy, Co. Cavan, the son of John Wilson, farmer, and his wife Brigid (née Comaskey). His grandfather James Wilson was a Fenian, his father a Fianna Fáil and GAA activist…...
Wilson, Katherine Anna Gifford (Katie)
This is a co-subject for the entry on DONNELLY, Helen Ruth (‘Nellie’) Gifford. View the original entry....
Woodlock, Ellen
Woodlock, Ellen (1811–84), philanthropist and social worker, was born 27 January 1811, second daughter among seven sons and four daughters of Martin Mahony (1764–1834) of Cork, woollen manufacturer, and his second wife, Maria (née Reynolds), of Roscreg. The Rev.…...